Why networking needs a revamp but will never go out of style

Why networking will never go out of style.

Networking isn’t what it used to be:
A forced effort to put yourself out there in hopes that your business or career benefited because someone told you to do so. 

Networking has changed:
If you are going to commit your energy to growing your network, you want it to be with intention and alignment.

Networking is being reborn: 
Gone are the days of showing up to an event with an agenda to follow; ie. prepared with a bullet list of what you need and what you offer. Rather, we’ve shifted to a place of curiosity and generosity leaving neediness at the door.

Networking has been in need of a rebirth, a renovation, for a while. For so long, we were attending events, setting up meetings, and booking coffee catch-ups because we felt like we had to. There was this undercurrent of go-go-go energy and if you weren’t catching the networking wave, you were going to be left behind. 

But there has been an awakening: we have become aware that meaningful connection can expand our thinking, our opportunities, and our capacity for learning. That it can lead to one of our most innate desires: trusted relationships. But not at the cost of the relationships that we have already invested our energy into; primarily the one with ourselves. 

To attend a networking event is a choice. Your choice. You get to choose when to show up and when to stay home. We’ve moved into a new era where the choice to stay in, to take a break from socializing, is not only accepted but encouraged. The permission slip that the pandemic provided us is one we’re happy to use when it best serves us. 

As a result, it’s more important than ever that we find the experiences and events that align with our priorities and have a clear intention. 

My intention with Women In Levity was to create an opportunity to share my ideas and inspire a broader audience, to connect with more women in the community, and to create a space where the wealth of wisdom within the community could be shared. This clarity of intention was met with open minds and open hearts. 

After experiencing this event, one thing was crystal clear: We are craving connection and seeking the opportunity to be uplifted and inspired by our community. We want to meet other like-minded people in a way that feels natural and aligned to our values and goals. Through connection, conversation, and common ground, we’re able to build confidence and strengthen awareness. 

This is powerful stuff. 

And not reserved for those who identify as female. 

Women In Levity was born from the idea of connecting with others by returning to ourselves. While I saw the event as a container to nurture and nourish cooperation over competition, to inspire new thinking over the status quo, I was in fact planting the seed for something more. Something beyond what I could see in the moment: an opportunity for a community to grow beyond coexistence and expand into collaboration. 

When you feel aligned in who you are, gathering in community allows you to show up fully as yourself.

You’re open to experiencing real life in the present moment. Connections and conversations come easily and effortlessly as they don’t require name-tags and titles, egos and credentials. They are purely about relating to other human beings and planting the seed to nurture relationships, because it’s only the beginning. We don’t yet know what the outcome will be. This is only the first step. An imperative step. It’s the catalyst that will drive new ideas, positive emotions, and  inspired action. A catalyst doesn’t directly create the end result but rather speeds up or accelerates the process. We’re left with a resonance, an energy that knows no limits; we’ve put something in motion creating momentum and causing a ripple effect. When we walk in with an agenda, an expectation, or a need for a certain result, all the magic of what’s possible disappears. 

The best part about creating Women In Levity is that I may never know its full effect; the ripple effect it created will continue to drive possibility without arriving at a final destination. And if that isn’t enough of a reason to embrace the new age of networking, I don’t know what is. 

This is only the beginning…: If you want to experience Women In Levity in your community, send me an email or contact me here.

Kirsten Schmidtke is a professional coach, speaker, and lover of lake life. She works with leaders, creators, and entrepreneurs to help them up-level their careers, businesses, and lives. Are you ready to explore what’s possible for you? Contact Kirsten to start the conversation!